Shapiro Administration Reminds Drivers to Put the Telephone Away or Pay a Effective

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) are reminding Pennsylvanians to place down the cellphone whereas driving or they are going to be compelled to pay a positive beginning June 5, 2026. In 2024, Governor Josh Shapiro signed Paul Miller’s Law, which prohibits using hand-held gadgets whereas driving, even whereas stopped quickly on account of visitors, a crimson gentle, or different delays. Drivers can nonetheless use their telephones to alert authorities within the occasion of an emergency and use hands-free expertise to make cellphone calls, use a GPS, and take heed to music.

Beginning June 5, 2026, drivers convicted of utilizing a hand-held machine whereas driving pays a $50 positive, plus court docket prices and different charges. Pennsylvania additionally enforces a texting-while-driving ban that prohibits drivers from utilizing cell gadgets to ship, learn, or write text-based communications whereas their automobile is in movement. Additionally, relying on the circumstances, drivers who violate Paul Miller’s Law or the texting-while-driving ban can also be convicted of Homicide by Vehicle or Aggravated Assault by Vehicle, and given elevated sentences.

“Your choices behind the wheel can change lives forever,” stated PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “Distracted driving is not only dangerous, but also illegal. This National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, we are asking all drivers to commit to putting the phone away while driving.”

“As the warning period for Paul Miller’s Law concludes, troopers will begin issuing citations to drivers using handheld devices behind the wheel,” stated Pennsylvania State Police Acting Commissioner Lieutenant Colonel George L. Bivens. “Distracted driving is dangerous and significantly increases the risk of crashes. Just a moment of inattention can lead to life-altering consequences. The PSP urges all motorists to put their phones down, stay focused, and help keep Pennsylvania’s roadways safe.”

The regulation is called for Paul Miller Jr., who was tragically killed in a crash with a tractor trailer in 2010 in Monroe County as the results of a distracted driver who reached for his or her cellphone whereas driving. Since Paul’s dying, Eileen Miller – Paul’s mom – has turn out to be a nationwide advocate for stronger legal guidelines to curb distracted driving.

“Nearly 15 years ago, two Dunmore state troopers knocked on my door to tell me that my son was killed,” stated Miller. “My son did everything right – he was killed by someone else’s unsafe choices behind the wheel. This law is for every family in Pennsylvania that doesn’t have to experience two state troopers knocking on their door to tell them that their loved one was killed by distracted driving.”

According to PennDOT information, in 2024 there have been 9,950 crashes involving a distracted driver, leading to greater than 6,000 accidents and 49 fatalities. Distracted driving crash information is believed to be underreported on account of many drivers’ reluctance to confess to being distracted on the time of a crash.

If you’re the driver, observe these steps for a secure drive:

• If you expect a textual content message or have to ship one that may’t wait, pull over and park your automotive in a secure location earlier than utilizing your machine.
• Ask a passenger to be your “designated texter.” Allow them to entry your cellphone to reply to calls or messages.
• Do not have interaction in social media scrolling or messaging whereas driving.
• Cell cellphone use is habit-forming. Struggling to not textual content and drive? Activate your cellphone’s “Do Not Disturb” characteristic, silence notifications, or put your cellphone in a location that’s inaccessible till you arrive at your vacation spot.

Cell cellphone use isn’t the one distraction whereas driving. Anything that takes your consideration away from driving, your eyes off the highway, or your arms off the wheel is a distraction. Driver conduct is the main consider 83% of the roughly 1,100 deadly crashes that happen yearly on Pennsylvania roadways. These behaviors embrace driving distracted, impaired, aggressive, and others.

For extra info on distracted driving, go to www.pa.gov/dotsafety.

PennDOT’s media resources net web page provides social media-sized graphics for quite a few transportation-related campaigns, together with security subjects resembling aggressive driving, rushing, distracted driving, and seat belts for organizations, group teams, or others who share security info with their stakeholders.

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